The sequel to 'The Hunger Games' has had a positive reception from critics,
with the greatest praise reserved for its star, Jennifer Lawrence

The second film in the screen adaptations of Suzanne Collins' young adult bestsellers impressed the Telegraph's Robbie Collin, who praised its "charged, pacy narrative", and wrote that, "set against many intellectually bloodless teenage fantasies, this is as juicy as a cut of sirloin." But what did other critics make of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire?

"Though technically just the bridge between the lower-budget original and the two-part finale still to come, in director Francis Lawrence’s steady hands Catching Fire makes for rousing entertainment in its own right, leaving fans riled and ready to storm the castle... Though far older than the wide-eyed 12-year-old described in the book, Jennifer Lawrence masterfully conveys the character’s naivete, while bringing a strength and resolve no pre-teen actor possibly could. In the time since the first movie, she has become a bona fide star, which suits a character who feels overwhelmed by her own celebrity."

"As faithful as Argos or Old Yeller, Snowy or Hachiko, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire runs no risk of disappointing its absolutely ravenous target audience. Serving up everything from Suzanne Collins' eventful second instalment in her trilogy about teenage warrior and rebel Katniss Everdeen that fans could possibly want to see, this is a safe, serviceable, carefully crafted action drama in which the subversive seeds planted in the first story take welcome root. As before, Jennifer Lawrence is the superb center of it all and the massive success of this Lionsgate release is as certain as the turning of the Earth."

"Maybe it’s a little bit top-heavy, and despite its breakneck pace, it can’t quite hide the fact that at 146 minutes, it’s really, really long. But there’s barely a second of it you’d want to miss. Catching Fire is a gorgeously made film: a brave, cutting political parable with an enormous heart. It’s going to be a long wait for Mockingjay Part 1."

"The appeal of Lawrence is central to the appeal of this film and its franchise. She's both pretty and tough, covering both the demographics [adolescent boys and girls] this film seeks to thrill... What lets the movie down is its heart, or lack thereof. The reprise of the Games introduces new adversaries (and some allies) but has exactly the same dynamic as in the first movie".

"As a dystopian sci-fi yarn, Catching Fire is – initially – effective and chilling. The imagery of district dwellers being rounded up and massacred seems intended to evoke memories of Nazi atrocities. The screenplay, co-written by Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire and The Full Monty) has a strong satirical undertow. The fascist state uses the media in general – and reality TV game shows in particular – to keep the masses distracted... It is heartening to find a teen-oriented movie franchise as gritty as The Hunger Games."

"As played by Lawrence, Katniss is tough rather than macho; fit, but not in a gym-toned way (her shoulders, for example, are gorgeously plump)... The success of this sequel will demonstrate, beyond doubt, that flesh-and-blood females can dominate the boysy, blockbuster landscape. How apt. In parallel worlds, the end of an old order seems nigh."

"Catching Fire succeeds on a great many fronts, not the least of which is pacing – despite its hefty running time it never feels less than lean and efficient. But it strays too often into unearned melodrama and by-numbers plotting, with even Lawrence struggling to sell some of Katniss's more abrupt emotional shifts. Fans who want to see a story they already love brought vividly to life won't be disappointed, but there's nothing here to engage the uninitiated."

"Francis Lawrence, the director, avoids the dizzy camerawork of the first Hunger Games, which blurred the non-12A violence, but his overlong effort seems to be filmed through grey soup to keep the mood sombre. Of course, this is exactly what the audience wants: a creepy, disturbing, dystopian wallow in misery and unconsummated love."